Government Takes Over Adamus Resources’ Mine

The government has upheld the revocation of the mining leases of Adamus Resources Limited and directed the Minerals Commission to assume immediate administrative control of the mine as part of measures to revive operations and protect jobs.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, who announced the decision during a visit to the mine, said the government’s immediate priority was to ensure that the mine became fully operational, workers were paid on time and the necessary investments  made to expand its operations.

He said the Minerals Commission would work with management and workers to address outstanding issues, ensure the processing plant was brought back into operation and resolve safety concerns at the mine.

The minister explained that the decision followed a report submitted by the Minerals Commission to the Chief Inspector of Mines, which identified what it described as grave violations of the Mining Act and mining regulations.

According to him, the report recommended the revocation of some of the mining leases covering the Adamus operations, including the Salma and Akango leases. Mr. Buah said although the government initially agreed with the recommendations, a petition subsequently filed over the decision led to the establishment of a Ministerial Review Committee to examine the matter.

He disclosed that the committee had completed its work and, after considering its findings, he had taken the decision as minister to uphold the revocation.“What that means going forward is that the Minerals Commission should, with immediate effect, take administrative control of this mine,” he said.

He said the commission had been tasked to work with the workers to ensure that outstanding payments were addressed, while efforts were made to restart the processing plant and deal with all safety-related matters.

 

Jobs priority

Mr. Buah stressed that protecting the jobs and welfare of workers was at the centre of government’s decision to intervene in the operations of the mine. He expressed concern over reports that some workers had not been paid and others had been made redundant, and directed that the matter be addressed immediately.

“I think that has to be addressed with immediate effect and make sure they come back to work and then we can make sure that the next steps are taken,” he said.

The minister said the government wanted to create an environment in which workers could return to work with confidence, adding that their motivation and timely payment of salaries were important to the future of the mine.

He assured the workers that government would work with them to protect their jobs and transform the mine into a viable operation.

 

Due process

Mr. Buah also defended the process leading to the revocation, saying the government had given Adamus the opportunity to be heard before arriving at its decision.

He said the review process had been conducted with due consideration to the interests of the company, the workers and the country.

“We have given Adamus the right of hearing, and I think that we have gotten to this point where the priority is to make sure that the interest of the country, the mine workers who work here and the sanctity of this mine and the safety of it should be the top priority of government,” he said.

He maintained that the government’s intervention was not intended simply to take control of the mine but to ensure that the operation was restored to full capacity and its potential realised.

 

Mine has a future

The minister expressed optimism about the future of the mine, saying the mine had significant potential if the necessary investments and reforms were undertaken.

He said government would work with the Minerals Commission and other stakeholders to mobilise the investment required to transform the mine and return it to sustainable production.

“We want to make sure that this mine is up and running,” Mr. Buah said, adding that the Minerals Commission would work with the various stakeholders to address all outstanding matters “with immediate effect.”

He also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and workers following the unfortunate incident at the mine.

He assured workers that government remained committed to protecting their interests and creating conditions that would enable them to work in a safe and productive environment.

“I believe that this mine has a future. It has a real potential and working together we’ll make sure that the story of this mine will be told in a very positive light going forward,” he said.

The minister after the meeting with the IMC also addressed the workers where he assured them of job security.

The IMC chair, Mawufenor Otsyino, highlighted challenges the mine was facing including the closure of itstailing storage facility by the Environmental Protection Authority.

 

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